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3 things GetGlue got right

Tech blogs across the Internet have declared GetGlue one of the top apps to watch in 2012, and after watching it rise to popularity at the end of 2011, it’s pretty clear why. Location-based networks such as foursquare and Facebook Places got us hooked to “checking in” to the events and brick and mortar venues we visited on a daily basis; GetGlue provided a way to check in even from the comfort of our own sofas. And though the entertainment check-in app had many competitors (most notably, Miso) GetGlue became the mobile app for entertainment. Here are three things GetGlue got right:

1. GetGlue organized the conversation around live entertainment. More than ever before, 2011 was the year that a mainstream audience experienced the power of connecting with complete strangers over shared entertainment experiences. Reality shows ran Twitter feeds across the bottom of our televisions. Network dramas held Twitter contests using dedicated hashtags. And when viewers were inundated with pleas to share their thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other sharing platforms, GetGlue brought all our conversations together.

2. GetGlue partnered with television networks to offer exclusives. If there’s anything foursquare has shown us, it’s that we love exclusives, and through a few under-the-radar partnerships with television networks, GetGlue gives them to us. Each time I check in to a live broadcast of ABC’s Pan Am, I unlock a sticker from the episode I’m watching. Streaming episodes of Psych from Netflix on my boyfriend’s iPad? I’ve just unlocked a discount for 10% off Psych merchandise in USA’s online store. And because the networks have been relatively quiet about their GetGlue partnerships, the exclusives I unlock are always a surprise to me — that’s what makes them so much fun.

3. GetGlue and networks understand how our consumption of entertainment content has changed. As instant streaming services continue to define the way we consume entertainment content, even revitalizing shows no longer on the air, GetGlue is working with networks to provide new content and exclusives to fans who may have “missed the boat” on television shows’ original runs. I love the nostalgic sticker (below) that The CW shared on its One Tree Hill page on Facebook — as the CW airs its final season of the show, One Tree Hill fans are flocking to Netflix to revisit past episodes, and this sticker shows that the network recognizes that.

How are you using GetGlue? Do you use it just to check in, or do you join the conversations happening around your favorite shows and movies?